The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-03
Personal and General.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2-Representative Cox's
Improvement in health still continues. He sat
up for short interval twice during the day, but
H still too weak to see callers or attend to his
correspondence.
The Secretary of War to-day transmitted to
the House report by the engineer officers in re-
sponse to an inquiry contained in the last river
and harbor bill as to whether the government
dry ock at Louisville & Portland canal is ade-
quate for the purposes of commerce. The report
states that the dock is not adequate for all the
purposes of commerce on the Ohio, being too
small to admit of its use by the largest boats
that navigate the ripsr, but there being facilities
forthe repair of boats of all sizes at private es.
tahlishments, there Is not at the presen. time
pressing demand for any enlargement of its size.
An estimate of 1910, ,4l6 is submitted as the cost
Of an enlargement of the dock.
The House committee on Territories to day
favorably considered the bill for the organiza.
ton of the Territory Of Alaska. The bill pro-
vides for the establishment of a civil govern
ment over all the country ceded by Russia to
the United States under the name of Alaska,
and designates the town of Sitka as the seat Of
government. 1t also provides that the Territory
shall be entitled to delegate in the national
House of Representatives, to be elected by the
qualified voters of the Territory
The Secretary of the Treasury to-day sent q
communication to the President pro tenn. of the
Senate, in answer to a resolution requesting him
to inform the Senate whether any national banks
are loaning money upon Securities, or discount
ing bills or notes, which require payment in gold
coin only. The Secretary says there no in
formation in the Treasury Department from
which it can be ascertained whether or not any
national banks transacting business in the
manner described.
The Department of the Interior has asked
Congress for appropriation of S25, 900 for sal
aries, expenses. etc., of special agents for lccat-
ing Indians on lands in severalty, under the act
recently passed, in which no appropriation was
made for the special agents required to be en-
ployed for that purpose. The department has
also asked for an appropriation of 81 500 to de-
fray the cost of the removal of the Jicarilla In
dians, now the Mescalero reservation. in New
Mexico, to more suitable lands in the vicinity Of
their former location in the northern part of the
Territory whore they are specially desirous Of
living
One hundred and twenty Of the l40 clerks on
duty at the office of the Chief Signal officer have
signed petition to Congress in which they ex-
press the opinion that the best interests Of the
government would be subserved by transferring
the Signal Corps of the army to the new execu-
tive department contemplated in House bill No.
$50, and also urge that they be made civilians
instead of enlisted men, as at present.
A Deputy Sergeant-at-arms of the Senate has
been sent to Texas with a list Of twenty five
witnesses who are to be subpnnaed in connection
with the alleged political outrage which the
committee privileges and elections is directed
to investigate.
The President has accepted a ssction of the
Oregon g. California railroad, beginning at q
point forty five miles south of Roseburg, Ore,
and running south 100 miles.